Hagler was an angry, relentless warrior and the greatest middleweight of all time

CHIMING with the times, both then and now, Joe Frazier laid it out for Marvin Hagler: “You have three strikes against you: you’re black, you’re a southpaw, and you’re good.”

Hagler spent his whole career raging at the moon. That’s one of the reasons I loved him.

He was angry he didn’t get picked for the Olympics, angry he couldn’t get fights early in his career, angry it took him 50 bouts to get a title shot, angry that he didn’t get the decision against Sugar Ray Leonard.

I agree with him. It was close. People still argue the

TENNIS: GRAND SLAMS toss today. Leonard was magnificent but Hagler was unbelievable, he just wanted to destroy his opponents.

The Ring rates Hagler, 66 now, the third-best middleweight of all time behind Sugar Ray Robinson and Carlos Monzon. For me he beats both, too big for Robinson at middleweight, too smart for Monzon.

He stood 5ft 9.5in with a freakish 75-inch reach. He was so adaptable and could punch with anybody - great combinations, good on the inside and that extra reach allowed him to really hit opponents with raking, punishing hooks.

Early in his career he had to travel to get fights or take them at short notice, hence close defeats in the space of two months in 1976 to Bobby ‘Boogaloo’ Watts and Willie Monroe.

Both were brutally avenged as he climbed the food chain. He finally got his title shot in 1979 against Vito Antuofermo.

I distinctly remember watching the fight. I thought he won but it was scored a draw. He then had to come to England for his next shot, a night of disgrace at Wembley. Alan

Minter had just beaten Antuofermo and I thought he was made to take on Hagler (below). He was torn to pieces. The ref stopped the fight in the third with Minter’s face a bloody mess. The crowd went wild, hurling bottles into the ring. Hagler left by police escort, but a world champion at last.

He ruled as undisputed champion for seven years, making 12 defences, the second-longest unified reign in history.

Leonard would have been defence No.13 had I been scoring the fight. Before that only the great Roberto Duran took him the distance as champion. Other victims included Antuofermo in the rematch, Mustafa Hamsho twice, John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi, our own Tony Sibson and, of course, Thomas Hearns.

The Hitman was a special fighter, too. But Hagler was unique in never appearing troubled in any bout.

He could box and bang, a relentless warrior, arguably the greatest middleweight of all time.

FORMULA ONE: AUSTRIAN GP